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Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-174
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-174
19 Jul 2022
 | 19 Jul 2022

Seasonal variation of mercury concentration of ancient olive groves of Lebanon

Nagham Tabaja, David Amouroux, Lamis Chalak, François Fourel, Emmanuel Tessier, Ihab Jomaa, Milad El Riachy, and Ilham Bentaleb

Abstract. This study aimed to investigate the olive, iconic tree of the Mediterranean basin, seasonality of (Hg) mercury pollution. Hg concentrations of foliage, stems, soil surface, and litter were analyzed on monthly basis in ancient olive trees growing in two groves in Lebanon, Bchaaleh and Kawkaba (1300 and 672 m.a.s.l respectively). A significantly lower concentration was registered in stems (~7–9 ng/g) with respect to foliage (~35–48 ng/g) in both sites with the highest foliage Hg concentration in late winter-early spring and the lowest in summer. It is noteworthy that olive fruits also have the lowest Hg concentration (~7–11 ng/g). The soil has the highest Hg content (~62–129 ng/g) likely inherited through the cumulated litter biomass (~ 63–76 ng/g). good covariation observed between our foliage Hg time-series analysis and those of pCO2 and Hg concentrations of the atmospheric Northern hemisphere confirms that mercury pollution can be studied through olive trees. More precisely, spring sampling is recommended if the objective is to assess the tree's susceptibility to Hg uptake. This may draw an adequate baseline for global inventories on Hg vegetation uptake and for new studies on olive trees in the Mediterranean for reconstructing regional Hg pollution concentrations in the past and present.

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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

06 Feb 2023
Seasonal variation of mercury concentration of ancient olive groves of Lebanon
Nagham Tabaja, David Amouroux, Lamis Chalak, François Fourel, Emmanuel Tessier, Ihab Jomaa, Milad El Riachy, and Ilham Bentaleb
Biogeosciences, 20, 619–633, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-619-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-619-2023, 2023
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The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

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This is the first study conducted on monumental olive trees in a non-contaminated site of the...
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